Week 53 - Won't you take me to.... ✨ fUnKy ToWn ✨

Salut!! 

This week overall was pretty good! Soeur Christianson and I felt like we were in a bit of a funk several times this week. We were facing a couple discouraging things and the opposition was just getting to us a little. But yesterday I read in 2 Nephi 2 about the necessity of opposition, and I re-realized that it's so important to have trials and opposition so that you can learn to appreciate the good. And, when trials come, you always have the choice to effect your attitude and work ethic-- so we decided to not let Satan win and to work our way through the funk-- and it totally worked! We were back to our ol' silly selves after knocking on a couple doors and by the end of last night we were cracking up over dumb things (and even frustrating things like our desks COLLAPSING and all our stuff falling everywhere just before bedtime). My testimony of hard work and just getting out and talking to people was definitely strengthened though-- with the right attitude you can work through even the funkiest of funks! And then the bad funk gets turned into the GOOD kind of funk! (like the 70s disco kind )

Haha anywaaayys, we met some cool people this week, like a really cute papi that invited us to sit down on his porch and then told us the story of when he went to France during the winter and how terrified he was of the snow and how freezing it was. He said when he got home to Guadeloupe he was as white as we are haha. He was so embarassed that he walked around in the sun for a couple days to get some color back. Haha, he was SUPER sweet though. He said he really loves how simply we explain the Gospel. He's had lots of different religions pass by and try to convince him of what they believe, but he said that out of everyone who's passed, what we said makes the most sense. That really strengthened my testimony of how beautifully simple the Gospel is, and that the Spirit can help anyone to understand if they open their hearts and allow the Spirit to teach them.

We also had a lesson with this woman that we contacted around a month ago! It's actually a cool story-- it was a super quick contact, she was just getting home and wasn't too interested to chat so we gave her a brochure. In the meantime since then, she actually went into the hospital for some health problems, and apparently read the brochure while she was there and called us, asking for a Book of Mormon!! So we passed by to give her one and talk a little more-- she is really cool and open and loved what she learned about the Plan of Salvation in the brochure! We're excited to see where things go!

We also had a really awesome lesson with our friend Alex! We saw him with Frère and Soeur Constant, a REALLY wonderful and strong couple. They talked about temples and the joy that they have from knowing their family is eternal. Alex really loved talking to them and the whole time Soeur Christianson and I were just sitting there in awe at seeing him connect so well to them :) Turns out Soeur Constant also works with Alex's wife!! She hasn't been super open to joining us, but now that she has this connection, we're hoping she'll slowly open up :) 

Albie is doing SO well too. This week we retaught him about the Plan of Salvation-- this time using these little images and he thought it was so fun putting the whole map together haha. I was amazing seeing him hear about the Plan of Salvation for the second time and how much more he's able to understand, apply, and even connect things to what he's been reading in the Book of Morm

on! His progression has been such a miracle and privilege to witness. At the end of the lesson he gave us a huge bag of passion fruit and lychees (so so good).

 We also got to help a family, the Afoys, move this week! They are a super wonderful family that used to live in our area, but just moved out of it :( It was fun helping them move and seeing their new house but we're sure going to miss them a LOT!

We've also been getting tons and tons of rain this week... I miss the sunshine! Now we're getting into the rainy hurricane season so we've gotta buck up and get ready to be constantly in the rain haha!!

Hope you all have a super great week , sending you lots of wet hugs! :)

Love,

Soeur Gardner